Etihad Airways’ new premium lounge opens at Melbourne airport

Etihad Airways today officially opened its spectacular new Premium Lounge at Melbourne Airport, offering guests a stylish, comfortable environment in which they can relax, re-energise, dine, work or be entertained pre-flight.

A natural light
filled space with floor-to-ceiling glass, it offers expansive views across the
runway. At more than 800m2 with seating capacity for up to 133
guests, it is the airline’s largest Premium Lounge outside Abu Dhabi.

A centrepiece of the
new lounge is the intimate 26-seat dining area. Here guests will enjoy the
airline’s signature hospitality with restaurant-style a la carte dining and an
international buffet.

The kitchen prides
itself on making everything in-house. Professional chefs prepare each dish on
site using the freshest, locally sourced, seasonal produce. This includes bread
– fresh-baked twice daily – grissini breadsticks; dips such as hummus, baba
ghanoush and muhammara; pickles; labneh; cookies; and even ice-cream.

Cheeses, fruits and
vegetables are sourced from Victorian suppliers and coffee is from a
Melbourne-based roaster.

Another striking
feature is the sculptural showcase bar. Here guests can enjoy a selection of
refreshments with names like Flight Path Spritzer, Controlled Airspace, Winglet
and Nacelle. Like the food on the lounge menu, these one-of-a-kind, bespoke beverages
are all handmade by specially trained mixologists, using syrups and garnishes
that are made in-house.

From an interior
design perspective, the principles of style, space and serenity are
complemented by Etihad Airways’ distinctive ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’
branding. With its geometric patterns
and colour palette inspired by the UAE landscape, it is the ultimate expression
of 21st century Abu Dhabi modernism.

Custom furnishings –
by Boss – offer lounge guests a choice of seating styles, each designed for
maximum comfort while dining, working and relaxing.

With the commencement
of A380 services from 1 June, guests in The Residence will enjoy the
exclusivity of a private lounge – discreetly located adjacent to the main
lounge entry. With custom-made arm
chairs upholstered in Poltrona Frau Italian leather, plush soft furnishings,
its own restroom and separate entry, The Residence Lounge embodies the bespoke
luxury and personalised service that is synonymous with the airline’s most
exclusive hospitality experience.

Other amenities in
the main lounge include separate male and female restrooms with shower
facilities and Scaramouche + Fandago products, dedicated male and female
ablution and prayer rooms, a children’s playroom, and a luggage room.

High-speed Wi-Fi
connectivity is complimentary and multi-zone electric and USB power outlets are
conveniently located throughout the lounge.

“The new Premium
Lounge at Melbourne Airport is in a class of its own – it is the airport lounge
as it is commonly known, totally reimagined.

“Blending the best of
a fine dining restaurant and a chic city cocktail bar, this lounge is a
showcase of intelligent design and sophistication where guests will enjoy the
highest levels of comfort and luxury, complemented by our world-class
hospitality, culinary innovation and cutting-edge beverage technology.

“At the same time, it
has a strong local feel with the freshest produce, cheeses and wines – sourced
from growers, makers and suppliers throughout the state of Victoria – offering
our guests a tantalising taste of the state’s renowned culinary culture.

“The opening of this
remarkable new facility and the launch of our flagship A380 services on 1 June,
offer travellers on the Melbourne-Abu Dhabi route our most compelling guest
experience proposition ever.”

Guests in The
Residence, First Apartments and Business Studios will be invited to visit the
lounge pre-flight. Platinum, Gold and Silver members of Etihad Guest and
eligible members of Etihad Airways Partners and partner airline loyalty
programs will also be able to use the lounge when travelling in Economy Class.
Guests must be booked on an Etihad Airways-operated flight on the same day.

Located in Terminal 2
adjacent to gate 10, the lounge will open approximately three hours prior to
the departure of Etihad Airways twice daily Melbourne-Abu Dhabi flights.

The new facility adds
to the airline’s expanding portfolio of premium lounges in Sydney, Abu Dhabi,
Dublin, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Manchester, Paris, Washington DC and New
York. A new First Class Lounge at Abu Dhabi International Airport and a new
First and Business Class Lounge at Los Angeles will follow in the coming
months.

Etihad Airways
commenced daily flights to Melbourne in March 2009. Today, it operates double
daily, non-stop flights to Abu Dhabi and beyond to the GCC, Africa and Europe.
It is the only airline offering double daily non-stop flights between Melbourne
and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE flag carrier will introduce its flagship
Airbus A380 to Melbourne from 1 June 2016 bringing to the route The Residence,
the world’s only private three-room cabin on a commercial aircraft.

In addition to double
daily services to Melbourne, Etihad Airways operates daily flights to Brisbane
and to Perth and 11 weekly services to Sydney. Its equity partner airline,
Virgin Australia operates an additional three weekly services between Sydney
and Abu Dhabi.